


Latch

by SymphonicPanda94



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Adventure, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fanfiction, Gay Imprint - Freeform, Gayfiction, M/M, Shapeshifters - Freeform, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Spirit World, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2019-10-26 06:00:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17740304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SymphonicPanda94/pseuds/SymphonicPanda94
Summary: Elias Woods' life was currently far from perfect. It actually hit rock bottom. With his mother's passing and being separated from his father, the teen boy is forced to leave his home and move out to the dreary town of Forks in Washington state to live with his brother and his girlfriend. Trying to fit in and act like a normal teenage boy who's life didn't just fall apart wasn't going to be easy.What could possibly make matters worse?Vampires? Shapeshifters?Well let's hope it's a better love story than Twilight.





	1. Character Information & Playlist

**Author's Note:**

> This story can also be read on Wattpad as well, under the same title and author name. Wattpad version includes pictures and music for each chapter. 
> 
> AO3 version is more likely to updated first in the future but no promises.

**⊗ LATCH SOUNDTRACK ⊗**

 

Daniela Andrade -  _Latch_

ODESZA - _Falls_

Capital Cities - _Safe and Sound_

Petit Biscuit - _You_

Flight Facilities - _I Didn't Believe_

M83 - _Midnight City_

Khamsin - _My Way_

Sia - _My Love_

 

**MAIN CHARACTERS**

**Elias Woods**

**Face claim:** Ian Nelson

 **Bio:** Eli is the new kid in town. Prior to him moving to Forks, Eli lived comfortably in the quiet town of Monmouth in New Jersey. After losing his mother, Eli's father turns to alcohol for comfort and within months, loses his job and is later deemed unfit to raise Eli. His older brother Gabriel, 14 years his senior, flies Elias out to Forks to live with him. Now Eli has to adjust to a new place, new school while having to deal with the supernatural troubles brewing.

 

**Seth Clearwater**

**_Face Claim:_** Booboo Stewart

 ** _Bio:_** A shapeshifter raised on La Push, Seth returns to high school life during the calm between vampires and shapeshifters after the events of Breaking Dawn. Now Seth has to deal with an unexpected challenge, his imprint, while trying to maintain peace among the land and his pack.

 

**SECONDARY CHARACTERS**

**Cassidy Johnson**

**_Face claim:_** Amandla Stenberg

 ** _Bio:_** A brown skinned girl with succulent, kinky curls for a crown and a down-to-earth personality to match, Cassidy Johnson is a well-known beauty at Forks high school. But is there more to her than meets the eye?

 

**Aaron Rodriguez**

**_Face claim:_** Amaris Knight

 ** _Bio:_** Aaron is a bit off-putting at first as he usually keeps to himself with his headphones on. Picked on by the school bully, most know that he isn't 'normal' but it doesn't bother Aaron for the most part. He's growing and learning just like everyone else and he stays true to himself, honest to a fault.

 

**Gabriel Woods**

**_Face Claim:_** Tyler Hoechlin

 ** _Bio:_** The eldest brother to Elias, Gabriel takes his brother in after being notified of a situation at home with their father. Gabriel currently lives with his girlfriend of four years and works as a cop in Forks.

 

**Suzanne Gonzalez**

**_Face Claim:_** Dascha Polanco

 ** _Bio:_** Suzanne has been dating Gabriel for four years. Now that they have started living together, she helps in making Elias feel welcomed and at home while being an art teacher. Though she is kind, she isn't a pushover.

 


	2. City Of Rain

The pittter-patter of rain was a sound that brought little comfort to the young teen boy currently sitting in the passenger seat of a gray Chevy Malibu. While leaning his head up against the cool glass of the window, he looked at the world outside with blank hazel eyes. After a five hour flight, he landed in this foreign place where most days the weather was cool and gloomy like today with gray clouds blocking the sun and weeping endlessly. Out here, the neighbors seemed to be far and few surrounded by forests and open space full of green. As the car drove through a small plaza he could tell there weren’t many stores within in biking distance, let alone walking distance. The nights were probably scary quiet too, no police sirens to fall asleep to. Everything was just so different from his life back in New Jersey, even the people who were on the lighter side of complexion. Though he guessed he would look as ghostly pale in a few months with this kind of weather.

Slowly he pulled a pair of black headphones that were settled around his neck over his ears with one hand while the other held onto a silver COBY portable CD player. The cover was scraped and had old stickers of superheroes that were faded on it but when his fingers traced the buttons along the rim and pressed play after a moment he could feel small vibrations from the handheld device and his ears were filled instantly with sweet tunes. The CD was a mix of songs, a farewell gift from his girlfriend, Ashley.

God, he really missed her. He messaged her the moment he got off the plane and they texted for a bit before agreeing to video chat later. It was probably the smallest talk they’d had since the very first time they meant but it was just as painful as when they hugged for the last time right before the teen boy got on the plane to Washington. The two of them had been dating for over a year, almost inseparable and now there was nothing but distance between them. While he listened to the music playing, he closed his eyes and he could see her, smiling at him with that cute gap between her teeth and deep chocolate eyes full of love. Though he’d grown numb to emotional pain, he did hope they could make this long distance relationship work.

As the next track started to play, he lazily watched the foliage landscape and scattered houses outside whiz by. Parts of it was distorted by the raindrops that had collected on the outside of the car window, the reflections blurs of green colors in an array of small droplets of water. He wasn’t interested in the slightest. He was just there, like blank space. Muffled by the music, he couldn’t hear the driver trying to get his attention and was startled a bit when he felt a hand tap his shoulder. “Y-yeah?” He said while straightening up in his seat. He pulled his headphones down so that they hung around his neck, the music still playing softly. Turning his head, he directed his attention to the driver who had pulled up to a red light, the vehicle coming to a temporary stop but the engine still purring underneath.

The driver, a man in his late 20s, asked in his gruff voice, “You doing okay E?” It was pretty simple question, basic even and could be answered easily. Yet it just irked the teen internally that it was the only questions everyone asked him all the damn time. But it didn’t help that his older brother, Gabriel, was the one asking as if he didn’t know what their family was going through, what Gabriel himself was putting his younger brother through.

With an annoyed sigh, the teen deadpanned, “I’m fine.”

“Come on, talk to me for real Elias,” Gabriel urged softly, his face visibly softening as he kept his light green eyes trained on his little brother, turning his body slightly towards the other in his seat. Though the two shared similar facial features, Gabriel was taller and more mature in body, age and mind. Elias thoguth it was funny how much people would compare the two when they were younger but they couldn’t be more different from each other now, especially with Gabriel sporting a short boxed beard lately. “Look, you haven’t said much since we hopped on the plane back in Newark,” he mentioned and paused, letting the two sit in silence for a bit, trying to gauge his brother’s reaction. “I’m just concerned about you because you know… with everything that’s happened, with Mom and now Dad, I know it’s a lot for you. Things are rough and just—… Besides the school counselor, you know you can talk to me right?”

“Mom’s dead, you took me away from Dad and Ashley, dragged me all the way out here to Forks against my will,” Elias said bluntly while turning his head away to glance out the window. He bit the inside of his cheek because he could feel the anger boiling again, curses on the tip of his tongue and words he would regret if he let his emotions get the best of him. With a shaky sigh, Elias shrugged his shoulders while mumbling, “I don’t have anything more to say except life really sucks right now.”

At this response, Gabriel’s lips formed a deep frown. “I didn’t drag you out here for no good reason. Would you have preferred foster care then?”

Elias didn’t answer that question which said a lot.

“It’s for your own good Elias, I wish you could see that,” said Gabriel, the frown disappearing slowly. “I’m sorry about Ashley but you now damn well after the last incident that Dad is in no shape to care for you—

“The light is green,” Elias interrupted before pulling his headphones back up over his ears and stubbornly crossing his arms over his chest to make it visually clear that he no longer wanted to speak on the subject. He turned away from his brother, as much as he could buckled in the passenger seat, blinking back hot tears that threatened to fall.

Thankfully, Gabriel got the message and reluctantly turned his attention back to the road, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Teenagers,” he mumbled as he pushed his foot against the gas pedal. The two drove in silence for the remainder of the trip and at some point along the drive, Elias had nodded off to sleep.

↞ ◭◮◭◮◭ ↠

_Upon opening his eyes, his vision was met with that of a blinding white light. He couldn't see anything but he also felt light as a feather. With his arms, he shielded his eyes to let them adjust. In that instance, the white started to fade into yellow, forming a sun above in a blue sky, blades of green coming into view. Elias pulled himself up into a sitting position, letting his arms fall to his sides, his fingers brushing along the grassy floor. There were muffled sounds in his ear, almost like a song but he couldn't understand it._

_The teen was sitting in a meadow protected by tall oak trees and sprinkled with patches of flowers among grass, all glistening in the warm sunlight. Rising to his feet, Elias couldn't shake the gnawing sensation that he was not alone in this serene place. When he turned to look over his shoulder, he saw the reason why._

_By the shape of it, it wasn't human. It was taller than him yet gangly, covered in sandy brown fur and standing on four oversized paws. It was a wolf who shared this space with him, looking back at him with brown eyes._

_Elias thought he would have fled by now or at least made an attempt, but oddly enough he didn't. His feet didn't move but his heart remained surprisingly calm. It was unexplainable but he didn't sense any danger from this ethereal beast._

_And so, they watched each other._

↞ ◭◮◭◮◭ ↠

"Alright Eli, wake up. We're home."

The dream began to fade as Elias stirred from his nap slowly, yawning and stretching his arms briefly. His CD player had stopped and headphones had shifted while he slept, that's why he could hear his brother. Elias had a lot of strange dreams lately that he couldn't understand. He doubted an overgrown wolf in the meadow held any meaning and he'd probably forget about it by the end of the night.

Gabriel pulled into the garage and cut the engine of the car. "Alright, why don't you go ahead inside? Make yourself comfortable and say hi to Suzanne," he suggested while unbuckling his seat belt and flicking a button on the side to unlock the doors. "I'll get your things."

"No, I can help," Elias insisted as he unbuckled his seat belt as well. He placed his CD player and headphones into his bag before exiting the car with his brother, heading towards the back to get his suitcase out of the trunk. Gabriel popped the trunk and grabbed it first, along with his own. Elias couldn't tell if his brother was being genuine or just showing off. Seeing the small smirk on Gabriel's lips as he took the bags Elias began to think it was more likely the latter. With an annoyed huff, the teen grabbed the duffel bag left and followed his brother up the small set of stairs to a door. It was hard to see the brighter side of things in his current situation but he still hoped way deep down that maybe something good would come out of this mess he was in. Actually, he really needed it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

↞ ◐◑◐◑ ◐◑  ↠

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks a lot for reading the first chapter of Latch! Please feel free to comment, suscribe, add to your reading list or send a message if you are enjoying or have any thoughts on the story.


	3. Forks and Spoons

This new place didn't quite feel like home. The door from the garage lead into a small hallway to the kitchen. Elias noticed there was a bathroom on his right as he walked through, next to it a decorative key rack hung on the wall. Across from that on the opposite wall, there was a washboard with notes and a calendar. Elias remembered Gabriel had mentioned Suzanne was an art teacher so she kept track of dates and it seemed like she kept track of Gabriel as well. The house smelled like rosemary, a scent he wasn't too fond of.

After the key rack, the fridge was up against the wall and the rest of it was lined with cabinets and countertops. There was a small island in the middle with a few charis.. The kitchen lead directly into the dining room when the two brothers took a right turn. Next to the dining room was a small coat closet and a set of stairs opposite from that leading up to the second floor. The front door was not to far and the living room was at the end. So far, the house was spacious, Elias could see that the living room even had a fire place as well.

This was the first time the teen boy had stepped in his older brother's house since he had moved out with Suzanne to Forks to be a cop. Yet, Elias knew this wasn't his home.

"Gabriel," a familiar feminine voice called out in a Spanish accent. Elias looked up to see Suzanne walking down the stairs with honey lilac waves that framed her oval shaped face, a beaming smile on her lips. This would be the third time she and Elias had met since she started dating Gabriel over four years ago. Suzanne was a good person, Elias could tell. Even his mother said at one point that Suzanne and Gabriel fit together like puzzle pieces, they were good separate but even better together.

As long as Suzanne and Gabriel had been together, Elias was surprised that his brother never popped the question but he guessed they wanted to be sure. It really sucks that their mother would never get to see her sons marry or even meet her grandchildren.

"Welcome home _mi amor_ ," Suzanne greeted his brother with a sweet tender kiss, her smile never faltering.

Gabriel hummed softly as he kissed back. "Thanks for the warm welcome _mi corazon_."

Elias stood by awkwardly while the two of them basically made heart eyes at each other. He almost forgot how awkward PDA could be from the outside looking in. Their moment didn't last too long before Suzanne turned her attention to him.

"Elias! Welcome," Suzanne welcomed him as she walked over and embraced the teen without a second thought. Though Elias wasn’t of a hugger, he had to admit Sue gave pretty good hugs. At least she didn’t treat him like he was fragile, not yet anyway. "I'm so happy you could join us out here. My goodness, you've gotten taller since the last time I saw you."

“Nice to see you again Suzanne,” Elias chuckled while hugging her back. He noticed a look of utter surprise on his brother’s face. "Maybe you got shorter?"

"Between you and your brother, I'm pretty much a gnome now," Suzanne joked before glancing at Gabriel. "What's with that face Gabe?"

“Well I'll have you know I just spent two whole days with Sour Patch here and he never smiled once,” the cop huffed as he placed the luggage off to the side near the staircase. “But ten seconds in the house with you and he’s all teeth and cheeks.”

Suzanne giggles at the comment, pulling away from Elias. “Well it’s like what they say in the commerical. First, they’re sour…”

“And then, they’re sweet,” Elias finished, flashing a wide smile towards Suzanne just to annoy his brother. She pretended to coo and pinched one of his cheeks lightly. The two started to laugh when they saw Gabriel roll his eyes. But even his bear of a brother couldn’t hide his own amused smile.

“Hey, don’t be too jealous Gabe, but I think it’s also because he likes me just a little bit more, you know?” Suzanne added.

“No, I definitely like Suzanne more than you,” Elias corrected, playing along. “Like ten times more.”

The trio went back and forth, mainly Gabriel and Elias making smart ass comments. When it was all said and done fits of laughter followed after. It felt odd but amid their banter, Elias didn’t feel down. His laughs were genuine, his smile wasn’t forced and his heart didn’t feel heavy. It was like an old version of himself had reappeared if that even made sense. There were so many moments like this that he wished could last forever. Unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way.

Before heading upstairs, Suzanne gently reminded the two to remove their shoes since the floor was carpeted. Gabriel lugged the two suitcases upstairs and Elias followed closely behind. The second floor didn’t look as big as the ground floor, mainly because there wasn’t anything over the living room. Instead there was a banister right above where the living room started where one could stand by and enjoy the view if they felt like it. Gabriel dropped his suitcase off in front of a set of doors, which Elias presumed was the couple’s bedroom.

“Your room is just up these stairs,” Suzanne mentioned with a point of her finger in said direction before heading up a narrow set of stairs just around the bend. With Suzanne leading the way, the trio marched up the stairs. When Elias stood in his new bedroom, he didn’t really know what to feel at first. The room was kind of big even for him, bigger than his old room. His bed was larger than the average twin size, he was pretty sure two people could fit on it. There was a dresser, a nightstand and a desk already placed. He even had a closet for storage. The walls were blank kind of like his own state of mind currently. As Elias trekked over to his bed slowly, he could hear Suzanne talking idly with Gabriel about the furniture.

Elias couldn’t really bring himself to join in on the conversation. Instead, he placed his bags by his bedside and sat on the edge. Engrossed with his new room, Elias hadn’t even noticed when Suzanne had left. Only when Gabriel cleared his throat did Elias turn his head to acknowledge his brother.

“So tomorrow we have to run some errands,” Gabriel mentioned. “Just uh... make yourself comfortable? You start school at Forks High on Wednesday. And uh, yeah…,” he paused momentarily, running a hand over the back of his neck warily. “Suzanne is going to order some food. You want anything Eli?”

Elias shook his head slowly. “Not that hungry.”

“Okay, well if you get hungry, there are some snacks down in the kitchen. I’ve got a stash of honey buns that Susan hasn’t confiscated yet,” he added with an awkward chuckle. It was so unnaturally weird to see a cop being awkward, holding back and just hesitating like Gabriel was now. Like he was purposely avoiding stepping on eggshells around the raven-haired teen.

“Okay,” Elias mumbled.

Gabriel took his leave shortly after. Elias stuck a hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out his cellphone, pressing a button so the home screen would show up to check the time.

**_6:17pm_ **

**_October 13 th, 2008_ **

Ashley was now three hours ahead of him. That means she should have eaten dinner by now, right? His fingers just started moving, tapping against the keys and sending a text to see if she was available to talk. He fell back onto the bed, arms and legs stretched out as he waited, staring absently at the ceiling above him. A few minutes passed before his phone buzzed, a chime going off to notify him of an incoming message.

**From: Ashely**

**_Sure thing babe. Be on Oovoo in like 15 mins, k?_ ** **_😊_ ** **_ <3_ **

**_Gotta kick Satan off the comp first._ **

_Satan_ , he thought to himself with a small laugh. She was talking about her little brother as usual, the bane of her existence apparently. The struggles of being the first-born child was something Elias would never experience or care to understand but he would listen to every complaint Ashley had and just tease her. It didn’t help that he also got along with Tyler, the little devil himself. They just so happened to share a love for a certain speedy blue hedgehog's games.

Sitting up with a grunt, Elias slid off his bed and moved towards his duffel bag, rummaging through it until he found his laptop and charger at the bottom. Around 6:30pm, he was looking at his girlfriend pixelated on the screen of his laptop. They chatted for a bit, catching up on school and Elias giving her a private grand tour of his new room. acting like a fool that got Ashley giggling. It was worth it, her laugh made him smile. Things didn’t seem so bad when he was with her, talking like this.

It wasn’t long before they had to say goodbye when Ashley’s father came to kick her off the home computer since it was way past ten and she had school the next day.

Pushing some hair behind her ears, a sad smile appeared on her lips and a light sigh passed through before she spoke. “Alright E… let’s chat again tomorrow?”

“Yeah, definitely,” Elias agreed. “Love you Ash.”

“Love you E,” she replied, waving a goodbye and then she was gone.

He didn’t stop the tears that fell after. He’d been holding them back for so long and now they were pouring out. He was trying to breath but got all choked up instead, covering his mouth because the last thing he needed was Suzanne or Gabriel hearing. Moving back to his bed, Elias grabbed a pillow and hugged it close to his chest as he sobbed quietly.

↞ ◭◮◭◮◭ ↠

_The teen was sitting in a meadow again, protected by the same tall oak trees and sprinkled with patches of flowers among grass, all glistening under the warm sunlight from above. The sky was different, a mixture of red, orange and pink._

_Sunset._

_Rising to his feet, Elias knew that he was not alone in this serene place. When he turned to look over his shoulder, he saw it again._

_It’s sandy brown fur and oversized paws, a wolf that was looking back at him with brown eyes but something was different. Among the shadows of the bushes, more figures started to form, spots of gold appearing in pairs. More wolves._

_The air wasn’t serene anymore, it was malicious. Even though brown eyes that were trained on him, he could feel the violent intent behind them and he felt his heart tighten with fear._

_Fuck. Why wouldn’t he run?! Why wouldn’t his feet move?!_

_The wolves growled, baring their teeth and claws._

_Elias took a step forward. It caused a chorus of snarls and threatening snaps of jaws. A warning that the pack was ready to attack._

_He was… the threat?_

_Before he could take another step, the wolves lunged at him with jaws open wide._

↞ ◭◮◭◮◭ ↠

He woke with a strained gasp, sitting upright as he tried to catch his breath. His room was dark but it would have been pitch black had it not been for the moonlight bleeding in through the blinds. Gabriel must have turned off the light while he was sleeping. Grabbing his cellphone, he checked the time while rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

**_2:03am_ **

**_October 14 th, 2008_ **

Grabbing his charger for his phone, the teen plugged it and placed his phone on the small nightstand near his bed. He then grabbed his CD player and headphones, lulling himself back to sleep through the melodic sounds.

This time, he didn’t dream of wolves but of his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, we'll be heading to Forks High! Just a little bit of character building, yeah? :) I know people will be like................ but when Elias and Seth gonna meet tho?  
> Soon enough, my children. :D  
> By the way, if you didn't know Booboo Stewart is currently releasing music in a duo band called ThatBandHoney. I love both singles they have released so far, You and Me and Anybody and plan to use it in this book. If you could, please give their music a chance and if you follow their Instagram and post a snapshot of it on Spotify tagging the band or Booboo, he just might thank you on his story :D


	4. Freaks and Geeks

For once, Elias felt dread when his brother woke him up early Wednesday morning. He couldn't remember the last time he didn't want to go to school this badly and no amount of medication was going to change that. He'd honestly rather take a five mile hike through the forest than go to school. Literally anything would have been better and Elias found himself praying for a miracle while taking a shower. As warm water cascaded down his body, he absently looked down at his hands, tracing over the crescent scars that had healed while the soap he used to clean himself was washed down the drain. The marks didn't hurt as much but he remembered the pain. Having a visible sign of self-harm, he feared the other students would probably think he was a freak or that he wasn't right in the head if they caught sight of it. If there one thing Elias knew for sure, without a doubt, it was that bad news always traveled fast.

After brushing his teeth and drying his hair, the teenager got dressed. He was sporting blue jeans and a simple red shirt with sleeves that stopped around his forearms. Next, he purposely chose a baggy jacket to throw over his shirt, making sure that the sleeves were long enough to cover the marks on both his hands. Then he styled his short black hair, making sure to tame the strays and keeping his fringe out of his eyes. After taking one final look in the mirror, Elias finally emerged from his room and made his way downstairs. 

On the way down, he could smell bacon and eggs. It was a little surprising for him since most school days, Elias would just wolf down a bowl of cereal and maybe some fruit for breakfast. Most of the time, he was running late so he needed to eat something quick with minimum effort. On the weekends, his family would spend more time on breakfast, especially on Sunday. His father would cook eggs and bacon while Eli and his mother made pancakes or waffles together. Sometimes the duo would be adventurous and make French toast or even cinnamon rolls. Gabriel wasn't much of a cook and he wasn't around as much during his college years. But there were times Gabriel would join in on the fun and their dad would always take the eldest son under his wing without a second thought. It was funny how memories just came flooding back in over the whiff of eggs and bacon. 

He knew it wasn't anyone's intention for him to be sad over a simple breakfast meal but his mood just darkened in that very moment. That's just how his mood has been like a lot lately. It always felt like there was a rain cloud over his head and just when he thought the clouds would clear, more showed up to take its place, both figuratively and literally since he moved to Forks. Prior to moving, there were days back in Jersey when he couldn't really recognize his own reflection in the mirror. Now that Elias had been prescribed medication, he hoped it would help.

When Elias took a seat across from Gabriel at the dining table, he found a plate with scrambled eggs, bacon and fruit in front of him. There was a mixture of bananas and strawberries, which just happened to be both of his favorite fruits. Gabriel, who was dressed in his cop uniform, was already eating his meal which consisted of a bowl of oatmeal, some toast and a plate of eggs and bacon on the side. The teen boy started to eat as well albeit more slowly because he didn't have much of an appetite to begin with. He didn't even notice that sugar had been sprinkled over his fruit until he was chewing on it. That was something their mother used to do when they were younger and Eli remembered how much Gabe hated it. As he munched on some bacon, Eli figured Gabe must have made breakfast this morning.

The two brothers ate their breakfast in silence, nothing but the sound of chewing and light clinking of utensils against dishware filled the air between them. Even after spending a day together exploring the city of Forks and Port Angels, there was still this awkwardness between them, or at least that's what Elias felt. Maybe he was reading too much into things and it was all in his head. Gabriel was his big brother after all and it was clear he was trying to help Elias feel more comfortable. Surprisingly, hanging out with Gabe yesterday wasn't that bad. Elias thought it would be a lot worse but the two of them got along. Gabriel didn't push for information while they talked, avoiding touchy topics that were mostly related to their parents. Besides that, Eli did get a chance to learn about the area and he even got to meet Gabriel's boss, Sheriff Swan. Overall, it was a good distraction for him. 

But fuck school, he wanted to avoid it for as long as he could or put it off for just another day at least. Being the new kid wasn't going to be a fun experience, he just felt it in his gut. Maybe he could bike over to the police station and take Sheriff Swan up on his offer to help out instead.

It wasn't long before his brother had finished eating. "Alright Sour Patch, ready to head out?" Gabriel asked with a grunt while wiping his mouth clean with a napkin. 

Elias stopped picking with his food and looked up at his brother before looking back at his plate. He barely ate half of the food. Hesitantly he asked, "Can't I just...hang out with you for the rest of this week?" Though Gabriel's look of utter shock was one for the books, Elias hurriedly added, "Or just hold off on school until after my birthday?" He was pretty much grasping for straws at this point. He didn't even care much that his birthday was this Sunday but if he could use it as an excuse, that'd be good enough for him.

Gabriel gave a heavy sigh as he finished off his glass of orange juice. "You know I have to get back to work today E. As much as I would love hanging out with my little brother, I'm an adult with a job and responsibilities. It's been that way for a few years now, if you haven't noticed," he said while stacking his dishes up. When he stood, the older man gestured towards Elias's plate with an open palm, an offer. After receiving a small nod from the teen, Gabriel took the plate with him and moved the dishes over into the kitchen. While scraping the food off into the trash bin, Gabriel continued, "You're one of those responsibilities now and protecting this town is another. I need to drop you off at school today and then head into the office to get some work done and keep the town in order, you know?" 

Usually Elias would suck his teeth by now and follow up with a sarcastic or snarky remark but he settled for chewing on the inside of his cheek. He was losing this battle. Hell, he knew he would lose from the start if he was being honest but it never hurt to try, right? The outcome just really sucked. In the end, the teen just settled for a defeated sigh while slouched in his chair with his head hanging.

When Gabe made his way back over, Elias could hear his brother grabbing a set of keys off the rack and throwing on something. Elias  peaked up, seeing his brother in a dark police jacket. On the left side, there was the emblem for the Forks police department and across from that was a name tag that read G. Woods. 

Seeing Gabe in his cop outfit just reminded Elias how serious his brother was about his job. Gabe went through hell and back to earn his place. It was actually the only other time Elias had witnessed his brother cry over something and the teen realized that he couldn't drag his brother away from his job, even if it was just to get out of school.

"Alright Sour Patch," he spoke up again but with a softer tone that caught Eli's attention. Gabriel was standing next to him, knees bent to the younger boy's level so the two could look each other directly in the eye. Speaking with conviction, Gabriel told his brother, "You're going to be okay. If there's a problem, just call me. I'll come and get you ASAP."

"Okay, I-I know... B-but what if...," Elias stuttered as he tried to voice his thoughts, looking down at his palms in his lap, the crescent scars peeking out from underneath the fabric of his sleeve.

"If you run into any assholes," Gabriel said, practically reading his brother's mind, "just tell them your brother is a cop who knows how to use a gun and get away with murder."

"Great," Elias snorted with a roll of his eyes . He honestly would never say that but it did get a chuckle out of him and it seemed like that was what Gabriel wanted. Shortly after Elias grabbed his things, the pair of brothers hopped into a police car and made their way towards Forks High with a mildly heated debate over what station to listen to. They eventually settled on country music though neither were actually satisfied with the decision.

↞ ◭◮◭◮◭ ↠

While sitting in a folding chair, Elias listened to the morning announcements being recited over the intercom whereas his brother was chatting away with the secretary who was finalizing his class schedule. There were club announcements, upcoming events and even a birthday notice mentioned for one of the students. He wondered for a moment if that meant his birthday would be announced, not that it was anyone's business. Out of everything he heard, the only thing that caught his interest were basketball tryouts happening next week. It was just a thought but he did play as a shooting guard for his old school before so maybe he could play here. It might be easier to make friends that way.

Suddenly, Gabriel came over and took a seat, tapping Eli's knee with the back of his hand to get the teen's attention. "Hey, Ms. Cope is getting your stuff together so I'm gonna head out soon," he mentioned as he looked over his brother, a small smile on his lips. It wasn't completely obvious but Elias could see the way one of Gabe's knee bounced and he knew his brother only did that when he was worrying about something or rather, in this case, someone. Elias could remember an infinite number of times his mother would gently chide her eldest son to not fret over things. That bouncing knee always seemed to irk her. Guess old habits die hard. "You got everything you need right? You're all good?"

If the two weren't brothers, this could easily be mistaken for a tender father and son moment. It was like the apprehensive father sending his son off to school for the first time and it didn't help much that a Gabriel looked more like their father. Still Elias didn't think it would be good for a cop to be distracted at work over his younger brother. The teen took a deep breath, slow and steady to calm his own nerves. When he spoke, his voice didn't sway or crack. "Yeah, I'm good now. I'll be ok," he said, following up with a smile in hopes to convince his brother more so than himself. Almost instantaneously, he could see the tension disappear and Gabriel actually looked relieved. 

Just then, the first bell rang through the building. It scared Elias at first and he could have sworn he saw Gabe jump a little too. Shortly after he could hear the students scurrying and chatting through the halls from the wall behind him. He guessed that was the first period bell. 

"Mr. Elias Woods, I have your schedule ready for you," the secretary announced. 

His brother stood up then first, adjusting his jacket. "Well, that's my cue to leave. I'll pick you up after school today, so just wait for me outside."

"Ok... I'll see you later?"

"See you later, Sour Patch."

As Elias watched his brother exit, he felt a strange tightness in his chest and his fingers curled around his backpack strap. Words echoed in his head, repeating itself over and over again in his brother's voice like a mantra to draw strength from.

You're going to be okay. 

↞ ◐◑◐◑ ◐◑ ↠


	5. Freaks and Geeks Pt. 2

On his first day, Forks High currently felt like a maze and Elias was too stubborn to ask for help to get where he needed to be. Using the map of the school he received from Ms. Cope, Elias eventually found himself outside the door of his first class in the morning. He could have gotten here earlier, maybe even slipped in with the few students scrambling to class but he wasn't very good with following directions. How he managed to take the wrong turn and get lost he'll never know, maybe it was first school day jitters getting to him. He'd somehow ended up wandering into the cafeteria and then the library. Eventually, a kind custodian, Mr. Jefferson, offered assistance and Elias found his way. Now he had to deal with being that late student disturbing class. On top of that, his first class was Math, his least favorite subject in school.

After knocking on the door, he entered the classroom. Elias was met by the sight of a tall and gangly balding man lecturing and writing on the board in front, teaching a class that was no more than maybe twenty five students. The teacher paused midway in writing, his hand hanging there in the air with the chalk still touching the blackboard. He turned his head to look at the late student. Elias could see a hint of annoyance in his beady eyes and furrowed brows that made the wrinkles on his forehead more prominent. "Yes? How can I help you?" He asked.

All eyes were on him and he could already hear the students murmuring. He spoke up, hating the way his voice cracked in the beginning from nervousness. "Uh- I'm new... I just started today." The teen mentally face palmed himself for not providing more basic information, like his name first and foremost. But he didn't want to speak to prevent further embarrassment so he kept his mouth shut. 

"You're new?" The teacher repeated slowly, his expression turning quizzical, probably wondering if that was the only clue he was going to get. The man pushed his glasses up the brim of his nose, clearing his throat. "Ok, please wait a moment, I'll just check my roster."

Elias gave a small nod of understanding and stood by while his math teacher moved to his desk. Still feeling the weight of the students' gaze on him, Elias shifted his weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably, his gaze falling back to the map and class schedule in his hand as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. 

"Would your name happen to be Elias Woods?"

"Yes," he answered quickly.

"Ok well welcome to Forks High then, we are happy to have you join us," the teacher stated, no hint of happiness in his tone in the lackluster welcome he'd given. Elias could already feel that he definitely got off on the wrong foot with this teacher. Though he couldn't mind as much seeing as Math wasn't his forte and he'd honestly never met a Math teacher he'd actually liked after middle school. "I'm your Trigonometry teacher, Mr. Varner. I'll excuse your lateness for today but I hope that you will try to be punctual from now on, Mr. Woods."

Following after those words, a string of snickers and giggles could be heard. Elias couldn't figure what exactly was so funny but he could feel his face growing hotter by the second while he stood there. Actually, he was wishing someone could just drop a piano on him at this point.  He mumbled, "Yes sir, I will."

"Good." At this point, Elias figured that Mr. Varner was finished and he was about to go look for a desk. But just as he was moving, the man interjected, "Before you take a seat, would you please introduce yourself to the class?"

This day just keeps getting better and better, he sighed inwardly. If he could have any power right now, invisibility would be great. Introducing himself in front of a class was the one thing Elias kind of wanted to avoid but here he was, about to introduce himself. He turned to face the class, catching some of the students eyes. A good number of the guys had a dazed look in their face, clearly bored and not impressed and Elias could swear one guy was nodding off to sleep towards the back. A couple of girls had this kind of spark in their eyes, like they were seeing something they liked. The dark-haired teen hoped he wouldn't have to go through this with the other classes. "Um- ok...My name is Elias and... I just moved here from New Jersey," he said, glancing at his teacher over his shoulder. Mr. Varner was looking at him as if he were expecting more but what was Elias suppose to say? Was Mr. Varner expecting the teen to give his life story or something? The teen just gave a shrug of his shoulder and added warily, "And...I like to play basketball?"

Not even a second after that, the new boy felt something bounce off his head. Elias didn't watch the ball of paper hit the floor, but he did lock eyes with the student who threw it. "Oh man, can't believe I actually got him," cackled the sandy brown haired boy who received compliments like nice shot and fist bumps from his peers that were nearby. His distinctive blue eyes locked with the new kid's, daring the other to make an attempt to challenge him. Elias broke contact first and did his best to keep himself composed, although the low snickers did irk him.

"Just for that stunt, you have earned yourself detention, Mr. Smith. I will not tolerate such behavior in class," Mr. Varner informed the culprit sternly and the laughter from the few guys died down, with some sucking their teeth and sighing like the teacher just ruined the highlight of their day. "Next time, you go straight to the principal's office. Do I make myself clear?" The student blatantly rolled his eyes and sucked his teeth defiantly as he leaned back in his chair . Elias could almost feel this high and mighty aura oozing off that jerk. He made a mental note it be best to avoid this Smith kid.

Mr. Varner caught Eli's attention after, gesturing over to an empty seat in the second row towards the front. "Please have a seat and let's continue with the lesson."

↞ ◭◮◭◮◭ ↠

When lunch time came, Elias was relieved at least half the day was gone. He still had three more classes to attend and he had to get the teacher's signatures for each one. The only good thing was his afternoon classes were actually subjects he had some interest in or could actually understand. Besides the incident in Trig., Elias hadn't run into any other social problems. Now after picking up his lunch tray, he glanced around the cafeteria room, trying to find an empty seat among the other students also on their lunch break. He kind of wandered around awkwardly like a lost puppy for a few seconds. He ended up settling for an empty table closer towards the wall-to-ceiling windows and side entrance. 

Surprisingly, Elias felt like he blended in too well but that also meant no one would bother him, which wasn't entirely a bad thing either. The more he thought about it he figured it'd be better if it stayed this way while he got used to the school. He honestly wasn't in a rush to make friends. While picking at his food, he let his eyes wander from table to table. In his old school, the cliques were very obvious. There were nerds, goths, popular girls, weird kids, punks, jocks and so on. He noticed there was also more diversity in his school whereas here, he could get lost in the sea of white boys. Fewer people stood out here, be for their skin color or clothes, with the exception of those guys from Trig whom Elias just spotted entering the cafe. There were even more boys in the group, about eight in total from what he could count. 

There were three who he recognized from in his Trigonometry class, excluding Smith the jerk. One of the boys was tall, the tallest in the group in fact; kind of built for a teenager with dark brown skin and short kinky hair that was shaved on the sides. The tall boy slung an arm around Smith's neck from behind and Elias could see from where he sat that when that boy spoke a set of white teeth showed. Elias was more surprised Smith didn't immediately punch the other in the throat and actually let the other boy go as far as to ruffle his sandy brown hair. Now, that did earn the tall boy a playful punch to the arm right after the two broke away. The other two boys that followed closely behind were kind of the same height, one was skinny with caramel-skin and short curly hair while the other boy was the first Asian kid Elias had seen. He was fat, more top heavy, with round cheeks that took up about fifty percent of his face. The other boys Elias didn't recognize. A few of them wore matching varsity jackets which he guessed could mean that the group was composed of athletes. They were being obnoxiously loud as if the whole world needed to be aware of their existence.

Elias brought his attention back to his tray, popping a juicy peach slice into his mouth and chewing slowly. He still didn't have much of an appetite so he couldn't bring himself to eat more than a few more slices and a bite of bread. There wasn't much for him to do now so Elias would occasionally glance out the windows between bites. He was so bored that he had a mental debate over whether the clouds were a lighter shade of grey today just to entertain himself. In the midst of his thoughts, he heard a chair scrape against the floor near him. When he turned his head towards the sound, he was surprised to find that the seat next to him was now occupied.

It was another boy who seemed to be around the same age, or maybe a little older? Elias could only see about a quarter of his face but he noticed warm beige skin, a soft square jaw, short dark brown wavy hair swept back and thick black headphones covering his ears. The headphones were actually the first thing Elias noticed and it had him questioning if they were allowed to use their electronics openly during lunch. 

 

Elias considered trying to make conversation but the other guy looked preoccupied with his lunch. His lips were moving too, but it was too loud to actually hear anything he was saying and the headphones seemed pretty thick, thick enough to keep the noise out so the brunette boy could listen to whatever has listening to uninterrupted. Elias was going to move to be considerate and spend the rest of his break in the library or some thing but his plans changed when he caught sight of a particular group of rowdy boys heading over.

↞ ◭◮◭◮◭ ↠

Unsurprisingly, water started falling from the sky when the final bell rang. While students were slamming lockers closed and piling out the front doors with friends, Elias was making a trip back to the secretary's office. When he arrived, Ms. Cope greeted him with a smile as she collected his paper. The older lady skim over the paper first, checking for the appropriate signatures, before she moved to the computer and started typing. "How did your first day go?"

"It was okay," Elias replied though he could hear the croak in his voice. He cleared his throat, bumping a fist against his chest while Ms. Cope kept typing. He leaned against the counter with his forearms resting on top, picking at his finger nails absently.

"Good, that's good. Made any new friends yet?"

"Tons," Elias mumbled dryly under his breath with a roll of his eyes that thankfully Ms. Cope didn't catch sight of seeing as her attention was on the monitor. Define friends, he thought while briefly remembering the encounter he experienced at lunch with that jerk and his gang of assholes. Of course, no high school experience was ever complete without an encounter from the school bully himself. Some things never did change and that's just another reason why high school sucks. Bullies always put a bad taste in his mouth and now he was on their shit-list as well. All because he had the guts to stand up to that one guy.

"Tons? That's wonderful! Sounds like you'll fit right in here," Ms. Cope said, oblivious to the brooding teenager. Shortly after, Ms. Cope provided more information about his counseling requirements and other school related things but by then Elias had kind of tuned her out. He was honestly over his first day of school and would prefer staying home rather than stay foot in Forks High ever again. It felt like the universe was against him and adding more shit to his plate when there wasn't much room left to begin with.

When Elias bid Ms. Cope farewell, he exited the office and quickly made his way back to the main entrance to exit the building. Along the way, he'd sent his brother a text message that he was heading out to wait for him.  He'd received some assignments for the day but he already decided to push it and  just rush through them during lunchtime. Right now, he just wanted to be back in Gabe's house. 

When he stepped outside, his eyes darted around the parking lot, looking for a cop car or his brother's gray one. He found neither which meant Gabe was here and hopefully would get here soon. Since it was raining, what a grand surprise that was, most students were hanging around near the building, taking shelter. Those with cars were running to them. Some were holding school books over their heads, most had their jacket hoods up. As often as it rains, Elias figured more locals would have invested in umbrellas by now or at least carry one on their person just in case. However, Forks residents were pretty much a mystery to him and he couldn't be bothered to try and understand at the moment. While waiting for his big brother, the teenage boy pulled out his CD player, blocking out the noise around him with headphones covering his ears. He started it up, feeling the vibrations of the CD spinning in the player. The first song to play was by a band called The Fray. While listening, Elias thought of his girlfriend and hit Ashley up with a text, knowing that she was home by now and probably studying if not playing on her computer. He had so much to tell her but maybe he shouldn't really go into too much detail. He didn't want to just complain and whine to her, she wasn't his therapist or anything. He'd rather be with her, right by her side with their hands laced together seamlessly. Seeing her picture as his wallpaper, he started to think how much he really wanted to hold her close and feel her warmth again.

In the midst of daydreaming about Ashley, Elias felt someone tap his shoulder. Turning to the side, he was met by the sight of two people, a short brown skin girl with straight hair that was shaved on one side and that quiet boy from lunch earlier who had this far off look on his face. Pulling his headphones off, Elias hesitantly greeted the two. "Uh-Hi?"

"Hi!" The girl replied first, her voice more bubbly than Elias would have expected. Her smile was dazzling and her eyes were dark brown but they had a certain shine to them that made them seem brighter, captivating almost. "Sorry if this is a little weird but I heard about what you did for my friend here and just needed to find you," she said with a light-hearted chuckle. She gently bumped her elbow against the boy that stood by her, "Speaking of said friend, Aaron has something he'd like to say to you."

"No, I don't Dawn,"  he stated in a flat voice, eyes narrowing slightly as he glanced at his friend.

Dawn's smile disappeared for a moment as she sighed, "Aaron, we already talked about this before."

"Yeah, talking as in you made a suggestion and I heard it. That doesn't mean I agreed to do anything," Aaron explained as his eyes settled on Elias. "Dawn keeps telling me I should say thank you but I don't think I should have to say thank you to someone for doing the right thing. It was your choice and you didn't know me so you didn't owe me anything. Even though you knew the consequences, you chose to stand up anyway rather than minding your own business like most people do around here."

"Yeah... yeah, I guess I see what you mean," Elias mumbled while rubbing the back his neck awkwardly as he tried to maintain eye contact with Dawn and Aaron. In actuality, he was a little taken aback by Aaron's words. The guy wasn't exactly wrong when Elias thought about it. Dawn clearly disagreed with her friend, looking as if she would literally bite his head for what he said. Elias figured by then it was a good time as ever to speak up. "You don't have to thank me. I just hate bullies, you know? I would have done the same thing for anyone really."

"Well you should you know what you did was foolish and admirable," Aaron mentioned and Elias couldn't do much but laugh a little out of shock, his forehead creasing with confusion. Was that an meant to be an insult or a compliment? He couldn't gather much from Aaron's stoic face but he didn't sense any malicious intent. 

"Aaron has a way with words but he pretty much just admitted that he likes you and hopes you two can become great friends," Dawn said excitedly as her mouth curved back into a smile.  "Right Aaron?"

Aaron looked off to the side absently as he said, "I don't think you took my advice on getting your ears checked Dawn."

Dawn giggled with an obviously annoyed roll of her eyes, hooking an arm around Aaron's and leaning closer to him. "He's such a riot, isn't he? Keeps me on my toes all the time but I would be doing the world an injustice by just keeping all of him to myself, you know?"

Elias was barely keeping up with the banter between the two but he nodded slowly, unsure of where things were going. "Yeah I guess that would be a shame?"

"Well you're new here right?" Dawn asked with a curious tilt of her head.

Before Elias could get a word out, Aaron interjected, "I told you before he's Deputy Woods' brother and he moved in two days ago." Dawn was embarrassed beyond words at this point. All she could manage was hitting the palm of her hand against her forehead with her brows knitted together. Whereas for her friend, neither Aaron's face nor voice  faltered over the information he'd just shared.

Elias's eyes widened and his mouth was hanging half open, astonished for a moment. There's no way news travelled that fast but he couldn't really read Aaron that well. Aaron's natural facial expression was literally a poker face and his monotonous voice didn't help. It had Elias thinking either this kid had the power to read minds or was just casually stalking him, if that even made sense. "How did you know that?" He asked quickly.

"We're neighbors. I live down the street."


	6. And You Are?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elias’ first day of school has come to an end but the day isn’t over yet.

Neighbors, thank god they were just neighbors. It wasn't even a possibility Elias had considered, but, in that instant, was beyond relieved to hear it because he had a lot on his plate already. Besides, Aaron didn't look too much like the stalker type. While waiting for his brother, Elias continued chatting with Dawn and Aaron a little while longer. It was clear both Dawn and Aaron were a pretty tight pair with the way they bantered like an old couple sometimes. From their little chat, he gathered Dawn was the more talkative one whereas Aaron tended to drift in and out of the conversation at times. For the most part, Elias didn't feel apprehensive around them, at least not as much as he did the entire day. Even though he didn't offer much to the conversation, Dawn still made an effort to include him. It wasn't horrible and though Elias didn't voice it, he appreciated her effort. 

Hearing a police siren wail shortly from behind in the midst of their conversation almost gave him a heart attack. He didn't even need to look to know it was Gabriel. Jesus, couldn't his brother be just a little more discreet?

"Your brother's here," Aaron stated, which was pretty obvious.

Before Elias could walk off, Dawn got the trio to exchange phone numbers. "Let's keep in touch! You know, if you're not busy this weekend, you could head down to La Push with us," she mentioned with a toothy grin. "There'll be music, food, drinks and a bonfire!"

"And there will be people," Aaron muttered with a roll of his eyes.  

Elias chuckled, "I guess social events are like your krpytonite or something?"

Aaron and Dawn didn't say anything at first. Initially, they responded only with a look of utter confusion on their faces. The reference pretty much went over both their head.

"You know, um, Superman," Elias tried elaborating, moving his hands around in front of him as if it would help explain things better. "Because, uh, kryptonite makes Superman weak? It drains him of his powers and all of that." He went on, "It's like social events are your weakness like how kryptonite is to Superman, if that makes sense."

Dawn nodded her head slowly, a little bit of understanding showing on her face. Aaron didn't seem to make the connection at all and said, "I just don't like people."

Elias gave a weak awkward laugh because now it was abundantly clear he was the only superhero nerd here. Guess it was better to keep that hobby of his under wraps for now. "Umm... you know what? Just forget it, I'll let you two know if I'm down by Friday." He started to back away, gesturing to the cop car with a jab of his thumb over his shoulder, "I gotta jet now, my brother's waiting."

Dawn waved goodbye, "Ok! See you around Elias!" He returned it while making his way towards the car.

"So how'd your first day go?" Gabriel asked the second Elias got in. The teen boy didn't utter a response while quickly tossing his bag on the floor and sliding into the passenger seat. Elias was vaguely aware of the question as he closed the door and buckled in, slouching down to escape the curious stares from other students. It felt like a hundred pair of eyes were glued to him as he trekked through the parking lot along the way. If nobody knew him from the stunt he pulled in the cafeteria today, then they'll definitely know him by the end of the week.

It had only been one day but Elias was kind of over everything honestly. Having a low profile was a thing of the past now. The only upside to his day so far was probably chatting with Aaron and Dawn but he wouldn't consider them friends just yet. As the car backed out slowly, he caught sight of the crescent scars on his palms and tugged the fabric down out of habit. He hoped nobody noticed those either.

As Gabriel drove out of the parking lot, he lowered the music playing on the radio. "Hello? Earth to Elias, do read me?"

"Yeah, yeah I hear you Gabe," Elias grumbled in annoyance as he pulled out his cellphone. He looked at his inbox, the corner of his lips falling with disappointment that Ashley hadn't answered yet. With a sigh, he propped his elbow up against the car door with his chin cushioned by the palm of his hand as he looked out the window. He honestly wanted to say what he really felt about Forks High but what came out of his mouth was this generic response, "First day was...okay."

"Just okay?"

Elias bit his bottom lip briefly out of frustration. "Yeah it was okay," he insisted. Even while he was saying those words, he knew he had to say more because okay was never going to be enough for Gabriel. The cop would continue to pry for more information because that's what cops do. For a moment, he picked through his brain for something else to talk about that would hold his interest. "I... actually got invited to a party this Saturday," he brought up.

Gabriel's eyes widen a little at the news. "Really? A party? Where at?"

"There's some bonfire thing going on down at that beach, um, La Push," Elias explained further, "Apparently it's like an event for students held at the beginning of the year to like, just hang out?"

"Oh yeah." His brother gave a low chuckle, "Now that you mentioned it, I've heard about that one. You probably haven't heard yet but I crashed the party last year actually when I busted some of them for underage drinking."

The teen boy gawked at his brother for a second, "No way bro."

The cop pursed his mouth in a self-satisfied smirk before saying, "Yes way. We actually got a call to check out the area. Those kids were practically scared to death when we showed up. Most of them ran but some of them were too drunk to even stand. That's how I caught that one kid, um, what's his name?" He stroked his beard thoughtfully before snapping his fingers. "Adam Smith, yeah, that kid. I think he's around your age actually."

That name caught Elias's full and undivided attention because what were the odds that his brother busted the school bully? He must of done something pretty bad in another life. This was going to be social suicide. Of course his brother has to be the one who caught Adam and it wont be long before Adam finds out that Elias was related to Deputy Woods. The teen tentatively asked, "Was it that bad?"

"I don't think bad even covers half of it," Gabriel continued. "His father was so furious, more so because his son was one of the few who got caught. I swear that guy would fire me instantly if he could just to cover for his punk ass son. Uh, sorry, excuse my language."

"Woah," Elias mouthed quietly, a small smile on his lips. It was rare to hear Gabriel speak about people in a negative way but that just solidified the fact that Adam Smith was an infamous person, not just at school. At least he wasn't the only one who thought so.

"Yeah, guess little Smith didn't know he was a lightweight," Gabriel joked. He paused briefly when he heard voices over the police radio, his eyes darting from the road to the radio sometimes. Shortly after, he asked, "So, who invited you?"

"Dawn and Aaron told me about it, invited me to hang with them." 

"Oh yeah, I saw you talking to them. You know I didn't get a chance to introduce you to him but Aaron is actually your neighbor, lives just down the street." Gabriel mentioned with a half smile as he made a turn when he reached an intersection. 

The teen nodded his head, "Yeah, he mentioned that."

"Now he's a pretty cool kid. He even plays those Sonic the Hedgehog video games that you mentioned Ashley's brother plays all the time."

"Well he, uh, didn't say much about that. Actually Dawn did do most of the talking," Elias admitted, glancing at his brother. "Aaron was just... I don't know, he seemed... a little off?" Truth be told, Elias couldn't fully understand what he was implying about Aaron or why he even bothered bringing it up but hey, it kept the conversation going. 

At that comment, Gabriel shrugged one of his shoulders, his lips folding in for a moment. "Eh, I think I get what you're trying to say but don't think too much of it though.   Trust me, Aaron is a good kid and I'm sure the more you two hang out, you'll see it too. But that doesn't mean I'm letting you go to that party. Anyway," he went on, changing the topic before Elias could even try to argue with him, "how's Ashley doing?"

"Same as always, I guess?" He wasn't lying but he wasn't completely sure he was saying the truth since things had changed. Or maybe that was just his insecurities eating away at him. Well considering the fact that he and Ashley were literally a thousand miles apart now, it would kind of make sense that he's a little anxious. The other day he went on Google and did some research on long distances relationship only to find some forums where people were claiming they didn't last very long which didn't really build his confidence either. Lately, he'd been thinking, worrying over if Ashley would grow tired of him or if she found someone else she liked more. Speaking of the devil, when his phone buzzed he flipped it open to see that there was a message from her.

"You know, I was thinking," Gabriel mused as Elias texted a reply. "And this is just a thought but I was thinking maybe Ashley could come over to visit for like maybe Christmas vacation or something." 

Elias stopped texting for a second, shocked. "A-are you serious?"

"It's just a thought," Gabriel reiterated, trying to act nonchalant about the fact he was even considering having the teen's girlfriend fly three hours out to visit.

"Seriously, don't play with me like that," Elias warned as he finished off his text and sent it. He felt a rough hand on his head, messing up his hair as usual. With a groan, he swatted his brother's hand away and quickly patted down his fringe.

"I'm being serious," Gabriel assured, speaking in a softer tone now. "Look, I know with the move and everything, it's tough for you two.  Now I'm not saying this just to get your hopes up but you know, you could ask her and I can talk to her Dad and, well, maybe we could set something up. You never know." 

Elias had kept his eyes locked on his brother's profile, almost hanging on every word he said. It was totally unexpected but he couldn't say that just the thought of maybe seeing his girlfriend over Christmas didn't stir his heart a little. Of course Gabriel was right, he shouldn't get his hopes up because airplane tickets are expensive. "Um...okay, I'll-I'll text her about it." Elias mumbled, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck as he tried not to smile too hard. Ashley coming over would be pretty awesome. Forget earlier, this was probably the best thing he heard all day.

"Well, you should tell her sooner, rather than later so, uh, the adults can start making a plan," Gabriel suggested, his lips curled up in that infamous smug smile of his because he knew Elias would flip over this. The police radio started going off again and Gabriel didn't really talk much anymore after as he drove.

Elias just settled back in his seat, putting his phone away. He had told Ashley he was on his way home and they could talk more tonight. His phone didn't go off again. For a little while, he just stares out the window watching houses and trees go by. Along the way, he did start to notice something. He straightened himself in his seat, looking around a bit. This wasn't the same route they took earlier today, was it? Like there was miles of greenery and he's only been in Forks for a few days but he was pretty sure that this wasn't the way home. Actually, it didn't even look like they were in the same neighborhood. "Um," he hummed softly but before he could ask, Gabriel beat him to it.

"Oh yeah, sorry, forgot to mention I have to make a quick pit stop at the Chief's house first," he said as he turned onto another street. The cop car rolled up to stop behind a red pick up truck in front of a small white house with a grey roof. There was another cop car parked a little further up with a small blue compact car in the driveway. Elias wondered if both belonged to Sheriff Swan but that was one too many cars for just one man, right? Cutting the engine, Gabriel undid his seat belt. "I just need to chat with him about something real quick, shouldn't take too long. You can come say hi or stay here in the car."

Elias was already unbuckling his seat belt, "I'll say hi." Anything was better than sitting out here with nothing but the rain to keep him company. Pulling his hood over his head, the teen got out of the car after his brother and walked alongside him up to the front door. 

After ringing the bell, they waited until they heard feet shuffling and a gruff voice announcing, "I got it!" The door knob clicked and turned as it was pulled open from inside, revealing the Chief of Forks himself behind it. Chief Swan wore a welcoming smile on his face as he was goiter to greet the brothers but Gabriel best him to it.

"Deputy Woods," He announced in a deeper voice with a salute. "Reporting for duty, sir." Elias ducked his head, forgetting sometimes just how much of a goofball his brother could be and the cringe he personally felt from witnessing it firsthand. Elias thought this side of his brother was a lot funnier when they were younger. But now? Well, hard to believe Gabriel was the adult here. 

One of Chief Swan's eyebrows quirked a bit out of confusing, mouth hanging open for half a second. In the end, he played along with a curt nod and the best authoritative voice he could muster. "Mhm, well then... at ease solider."

"Sir, yes sir." 

"And this is what I have to live with," Elias muttered more so to himself but not realizing that the others could hear it. 

The chief of police gave a dry chuckle in response to the teen's comment. "Stay strong trooper." Shortly after, he invited the brothers  inside, holding the door open as they entered. While Mr. Swan and Gabriel started discussing police work, Elias just paced around a little, just looking around. The house didn't feel as spacious in comparison to Gabe's but it had a more cozy feeling to it in it's own way, maybe because there's was more furniture taking up space. There was pictures hanging on the wall, family photos and a few art pieces. There was also a bit of noise in the house besides the two cops chattering. From the living room, the sound of cheering and someone narrating could be heard, most likely coming from the tv. Towards the the kitchen, there was the sound of running water, the clank of pots and clink of plates with some voices mixed in as well. 

"So how was your first day at Forks High?" Mr. Swan asked the teen boy whose eyes were, at the moment, fixated on a photo on the wall.

"Uh...It was okay," Elias answered, rejoining the two cops' chat circle with a light shrug of his shoulders.  "Not too stoked about Trig though."

Mr. Swan chuckled, "Yeah, I remember my daughter was never quite crazy about Trig either. But I think it had to do more so with the teacher and less with the subject itself."

Gabriel started to bring up the beach party again and at that point Elias just stood by, shifting his weight from one foot to the other while the officers chatted away. The teen didn't notice when the water stopped running but he did notice a woman emerge from the kitchen, a smile on her lips as she walked up to them and stood by Mr. Swan's side. Her skin was bronze, seeming to have a bit of a glow in the light as she moved. She had a small nose, the bridge of it thin yet sharp. Her thin angular face was framed by her long black hair that fell pass her shoulders. Her eyes were like the color of obsidian, with wrinkles at the outer corners showing age but there was a kind of warm aura Elias could feel when he looked at her, the kind his mother had. The officers stopped talking then 

"Oh, uh Gabriel, I'd like to introduce you to Sue Clearwater," Mr. Swan introduced. "Sue, this is Officer Woods."

"Honored to meet you Ms. Clearwater," Gabriel shared a handshake with her. "I've heard a lot about you from Charlie, although I must say his words alone do not do you justice."

A light-hearted laugh came from Sue in response. "Likewise. I've actually heard quite a lot about you, like how you are quite the troublemaker at the station."

"Oh really now?" Gabriel quirked an eyebrow in Mr. Swan's direction, who looked away momentarily as if to not look guilty. Elias snickered softly.

"Anyway, we can discuss this later. Sue, this is Gabriel's brother. He's new to town," Mr.Swan gestured to said teen boy. "Elias, Sue Clearwater. Sue, Elias Woods."

Elias shook her hand, finding them soft despite the fact, well actually he assumed Sue was washing dishing previously. "Pleased to meet you Ms. Clearwater."

"Pleasure to meet you as well Elias. You can call me Sue by the way. I hope you're adjusting well to the area," she said.

Elias was hesitant to answer, lips forming a tight smile instead. If he were to be honest about how much he hated living out here, he'd pretty much seem like an ungrateful whiny brat in front of his brother, the sheriff and company. Lying about it was growing even more tiresome. Luckily for him, he managed to avoid having to give a reply as everyone's attention was suddenly directed to the sound of footsteps coming from the staircase. "Oops, looks like we woke up the princess," Mr. Swan mentioned. 

The footsteps belonged to that of a young girl who joined the group at the foot of the stairs, her face beaming with joy. She had chocolate brown hair that hung from the crown of her head in bouncy ringlets that flowed past her waist. On her small face, her brown eyes were smiling, matching the one on her pink lips with dimples included. Physically she looked like she was around Elias' age but younger, maybe a freshman? It kind of made Elias a bit uneasy how beautiful this girl was though, almost too perfect. He honestly couldn't find a flaw with the way she looked, not in her pale skin or pearl white teeth. Was it bad he found this stranger more physically attractive than his own girlfriend? Just thinking that thought alone made him felt guilty but he wasn't with Ashley solely because of her looks. He knew Ashley long before they started dating.

"Grandpa, you didn't tell me we would have visitors," she spoke up, her voice honeyed yet so appealing. Her eyes kind of glanced over Gabriel but when they connected with the other teen, initially Elias just swallowed air nervously and hoped he didn't say anything stupid that would leave a bad impression. He could have sworn his heart stopped for a second when she flashed him a bright cheeky smile. One corner of his mouth twitched up in a half smile in response and he hoped that the burning in his cheeks would cool down.

"They were just dropping by, Ness," Mr. Swan informed her. "This is my lovely granddaughter by the way."

"My name is Renesmee," she introduced herself, gracefully tucking some of her hair behind her ear. 

Before either one of the brothers could utter a word, Sue Clearwater interrupted, "Renesmee, could you go help Seth set the dishes up for dinner later?" It was a simple request and Elias could have been imagining things but the way Ms. Clearwater asked, it sounded more like a demand. Even so, Renesmee agreed to the task asked of her without hesitation. Elias noticed her smile flatter for a fleeting moment, giving him one last hopeful look before the brunette walked away along with Ms. Clearwater towards the kitchen. 

The awkward silence left behind was interrupted by the sound of the sheriff clearing his throat. "Speaking of dinner, let me get you the paperwork you came for. Don't want to keep you and your brother held up too long."

"Yes, right um Eli, just hang tight for a bit, it shouldn't take long," Gabriel uttered as he followed the sheriff out of the entrance hall and towards the room on the immediate right. Elias started to follow after his brother just out of habit but he stopped himself halfway because official police business probably meant that the information was private and wasn't any of his business. Still, the teen boy didn't want to just stand around awkwardly in the entrance hall. He shoved his hands in his jean pockets and slowly made his way to the living room, standing pretty stiffly but in different room so it was a small change of pace. He stood near the couch, across from the TV where a baseball game was currently playing. Elias never had much interest in baseball and even now, he didn't care much but it was something to do while he waited patiently for Gabe.

"You two be careful with those dishes," came Ms. Clearwater's voice from the other room.

"Okay." Two voices answered her back, one definitely being Renesmee and the other one Elias didn't recognize at all. As the footsteps were drawing closer to the living room, Elias was starting to think maybe it would be a good time to introduce himself properly to Renesmee. Maybe they could be friends? 

A second later, she entered the room and Elias caught her sight as he looked over his shoulder. Following a short distance behind her was a boy, taller with russet skin like Ms. Clearwater's and black hair, curved towards the ends that stopped just a little pass his shoulders. Elias figured this was probably her son and he couldn't recall the name she had used earlier. Renesmee smiled softly as she passed by, not breaking her stride as she headed for the dining room. Elias couldn't bring himself to speak up right then and there so he just smiled back in return, feeling he shouldn't interrupt. He noticed her companion, who slowed down and looked as if he was about to say something. However, the moment their eyes met, not one word was uttered between them. The only sound that could be heard was that shattered plates that hit the wooden floors.

**Author's Note:**

> ⊗ Author's Note ⊗
> 
> Once upon a time, I used to love Twilight and then I entered my senior year of high school and realized how bad it was. Now it's almost the end of 2018 and here I am, back in the Twilight fandom.
> 
> Do I own all the books and have seen all the movies in theater and still have them back at home? You bet I do and SM got all my mom's money on that and more because you know, #TeamJacob. Not gonna lie, best thing to come out of Twilight was the soundtracks and some movie scenes that I can honestly say were just done well.
> 
> Now I've been dreaming about making a fanfiction like this for the longest time and I just wanted to do it right (and by right I mean, at least a solid plot to develop). So I hope some people will have some interest in it.  
> I'm not giving away too much of the plot but just a heads up that this is an imprint fanfiction, more specifically a homosexual imprint. (If you are not about this, please exit to the left!)
> 
> If you haven't noticed, I choose Seth Clearwater as my victim. 
> 
> Why? He's a cinnamon roll, like even Edward says his mind is just pure and it shows as Seth is one of the few to accept the Cullens quite easily ad treat them respectfully. So I figured that since Seth is a young teenager and though he hasn't imprinted, out of the other shapeshifters, I felt that Seth would be the most likely to be open to an imprint of the same gender. But that's just my thoughts :) 
> 
> Wonder how the pack will react? ;)
> 
> Please understand that there's no actual reasons behind imprinting and what has been stated so far in the books are opinions and theories. Some believe it's to reproduce, some believe it's to make the shapeshifter stronger. Again, this is just belief, no solid evidence and it's something I want to play with in my own way. :)
> 
> OK, I'm done talking! 
> 
> So if you're up for the ride, please leave a comment, subscribe, add to your reading list or follow my account to stay updated! Would really appreciate any feedback and I hope you enjoy the story!


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